This invention relates to a device for connecting the terminal ends of optical fiber cable, and more particularly to an optical fiber connector assembly which connects optical fiber connector plugs of different types secured on terminal ends of optical fiber cables.
Prior art connector assemblies connect the same type of optical connector plugs. In an optical connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,716 (Morimoto et al), two uniform cylindrically configured optical fiber connector plugs are connected, which are secured on the ends of two optical fibers. A cylindrical sleeve with a slit or slits formed along its axis is placed in an adaptor and clamps the two optical connector plugs thereby preventing axial deviations.
Another optical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,630 (Runge), wherein two optical connector plugs having conical frustum mating ends are connected in an adaptor having receiving surfaces at an intermediate portion which abuts against the frustum ends of both connector plugs when the connector plugs are inserted into the adaptor from opposite directions. The receiving surface has a predetermined angle with respect to the center axis of the adaptor which coincides with the inclination of the frustum ends of the connector plugs. The ends of the two connector plugs are placed to abut against the receiving surface to thereby align the center axes of the two connector plugs.
The aforementioned two types of optical fiber connectors differ from each other in respect of shape and method of connection, and are not compatible. It the heretofore caused inconveniences when optical communication devices using different connectors had to be connected.